G/TBT/N/JPN/781  
1 September 2023  
(23-5874) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  JAPAN  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:   
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare  
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry  
Ministry of the Environment  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [  ], 5.6.2 [  ], 5.7.1 [  ], 3.2 [  ], 7.2 [  ], 
other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  The 
following chemical substances  
Perfluoro (hexane -1-sulfonic acid) (PFHxS), its isomers or these salts  
The following products in which PFHxS, its isomers or these salts are used  
1. Water -repellent t extiles and oil -repellent textiles  
2. Etching agents used for metal processing  
3. Etchants used in the manufacture of semiconductors  
4. Surface treatment agents for plating or such preparation additives  
5. Antireflection agents used in semiconductor manufa cturing  
6. Resists for semiconductor  
7. Water repellent, oil repellent and fabric protection agents  
8. Fire extinguishers, fire -extinguishing agents, and fire -extinguishing foam  
9. Water -repellent clothes and oil -repellent clothes  
10. Water -repellent floor coverings and oil -repellent floor coverings  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Revision of the 
Order for Enforcement of the Act on the Evaluation of Chemical Substances and 
Regulation of Their Manufac ture, etc.; (2 page(s), in English)  
6. Description of content:  Based on Article 17 and 22 of the Act on the Evaluation of 
Chemical Substances and Regulation of Their Manufacture, etc. (hereinafter referred to 
as "the Act"), the following will be designate d as Class I Specified Chemical Substances 
which need authorization to be manufactured or imported.  G/TBT/N/JPN/781  
 
- 2 - 
 
  PFHxS, its isomers or these salts  
Based on Article 24 of the Act, the following will be designated as products prohibited 
from being imported when PFHxS, it s isomers or these salts are used in them.  
1. Water -repellent textiles and oil -repellent textiles  
2. Etching agents used for metal processing  
3. Etchants used in the manufacture of semiconductors  
4. Surface treatment agents for plating or such preparation additives  
5. Antireflection agents used in semiconductor manufacturing  
6. Resists for semiconductor  
7. Water repellent, oil repellent and fabric protection agents  
8. Fire extinguishers, fire -extinguishing agents, and fire -extinguishing foam  
9. Water -repellent clothes and oil -repellent clothes  
10. Water -repellent floor coverings and oil -repellent floor coverings  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  To prevent environmental pollution by PFHxS, its isomers or these salts, 
which are potentially hazardous substances because of their non -biodegradability, high 
degree of bioaccumulation potential, and chronic toxicity, they will be designated as Class 
I Specified Chemical Substances under the Act. This a mendment is based on the decisions 
at the 10th Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic 
Pollutants in 2022. Also, to prevent environmental pollution, products in which PFHxS, its 
isomers or these salts are used, will be p rohibited from being imported.  
8. Relevant documents:   
- Act on the Regulation of Manufacture and Evaluation of Chemical Substances (Act No. 
117 of October 16, 1973)  
https://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp/en/laws/view/3350  
- Order for Enforcement of the Act on the Evaluation of Chemical Substances and 
Regulation  of Their Manufacture, etc.  
(Cabinet Order No. 202 of June 7, 1974)  
https://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp/en/laws/view/158  
9. Proposed date of a doption:  November 2023  
Proposed date of entry into force:  January 2024 for chemical substances, May 2024 
for products to be prohibited from being imported  
10. Final date for comments:  60 days from notification  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
International Trade Division  
Economic Affairs Bureau  
Ministry of Foreign Affairs  
2-2-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda -ku 
Tokyo 100 -8919, Japan  
Tel.: + (81) 3 5501 8344  
Fax: + (81) 3 5501 8343  
E-mail: enquiry@mofa.go.jp  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2023/TBT/JPN/23_12128_00_e.pdf